Chapter 151 Birthday Celebration
Six days passed in a flash, and it was the Queen's birthday.
Today she was going to the palace to celebrate the Queen's birthday. Chen Tang picked out a sky blue brocade dress embroidered with gardenias. Her waist was so slender that it could be held in one hand, her skin was as white as cream, and she was as beautiful as a peach or plum blossom in spring.
After breakfast, Chen Tang took Ginkgo to Songhe Hall to pay respects to the old lady. At the gate of the courtyard, they ran into Shen Xie, who was dressed up for the palace banquet. She wore a water-red dress embroidered with butterfly orchids, but her appearance was not as pretty as Shen Tang's. Even if she dressed up, she could not overshadow Shen Tang. Instead, Shen Tang looked fresh and refined.
Seeing Chen Tang, Chen Xi ignored her and went straight into the yard, but she slowed down her pace when she entered the house, and she and Shen Tang entered the house at the same time. If you didn't know, you would think they came in talking and laughing.
The two were dressed appropriately, and the young lady from the Marquis's Mansion had never made a mistake in dressing, but the old lady was a little worried. She had not forgotten what Chen Tang said that day that she fainted after drinking only one glass of fruit wine at the lotus viewing banquet at Prince Shun's Mansion. The old lady still felt a lingering fear when she thought about it now.
The old lady said to Shen Tang, "You are the only one entering the palace for the banquet today, so you must be careful."
Chen Tang, "......???"
She goes alone?
Chen Tang looked at Chen Xian, "Isn't the eldest sister going?"
Chen Xi said unhappily, "Do you think I, with my sickly look, will bring bad luck to the Queen?"
Chen Tang was so shocked by this that he couldn't respond. Chen Xian's complexion was indeed not very good, but when did she have such awareness?
Besides, if you're not going to the palace to attend the banquet, who are you dressing so ostentatiously for?
Chen Tang said, "Eldest sister is dressed up, I thought she was going to the palace to celebrate the Queen's birthday."
Chen Xi had an expression on her face that showed she didn't want to talk to Shen Tang any more, "I'm going to the Jokhang Temple to see if there's any way to resolve my bloody disaster."
Then she stood up and said, "Grandma, I will go to the Jokhang Temple first."
After bowing, Chen Xian walked out.
When Chen Xi turned around, Chen Tang noticed that she was wearing a lotus jade pendant around her waist, which made Chen Tang frown slightly.
In the previous life, when Shen Xi and the Second Prince were in trouble, they were wearing this jade pendant...
No one knew where this jade pendant came from. She knew exactly what jade pendants Chen Xi had, but she didn't know where this jade pendant came from.
However, in this life, Chen Xian had an affair with the Prince of Changping, so she had no chance to become the Second Prince's consort.
Chen Tang withdrew her gaze, and then felt a cold gaze falling on her. She looked up and saw that the second wife was looking at her with a bit of coldness. If someone didn't know, they would think that she didn't allow Chen Xi to enter the palace.
The old lady was really scared. She felt more at ease knowing that only one of Shen Xian and Shen Tang entered the palace.
Chen Tang winked at Ginkgo, and Ginkgo went to ask someone, and when the maid came in and said the carriage was ready, Chen Tang went into the palace with the second wife and Chen Ran.
When they arrived at the gate of the Marquis' Mansion, the carriage was already waiting there. Shen Xian did not enter the palace. Shen Ran and Shen Tang rode in a carriage, and the Second Wife rode in a sedan chair.
After entering the carriage, Shen Ran looked at Shen Tang cautiously, and Shen Tang said, "Why are you looking at me like this, Third Sister?"
Chen Ran clasped his hands and said, "My mother always protects my eldest sister and makes trouble for my second sister. I thought my second sister would vent her anger on me..."
Chen Tang chuckled, "To be honest, Second Aunt doesn't love you. I can't hurt Second Aunt by targeting you, so why should I be so hard on you?"
Those words really hit home, and she was so hurt that she could only smile bitterly and couldn't respond.
Shen Tang looked Shen Ran up and down, which made Shen Ran reach out and touch his face, "Why are you looking at me like that, Second Sister?"
Chen Tang said, "You don't look like Second Aunt or Second Uncle, and Second Aunt loves the eldest sister especially and ignores you. Have you ever doubted that you are not the biological child of Second Uncle and Second Aunt?"
Shen Ran lowered his eyes and said nothing, but the answer was all in the silence.
It’s good to have doubts. Having doubts will prevent you from helping the evil.
Chen Tang was also unwilling to have another enemy. Thinking of how Chen Ran was hastily married off by the Second Wife to her nephew from her natal family, the eldest son of the Wang family, in her previous life, Chen Tang still couldn't figure out why the Second Wife would do such a thing.
The two of them had nothing to say. Shen Tang leaned against the carriage, closed his eyes and rested, while Shen Ran remained silent.
The two of them were silent all the way until they entered the palace.
Although the Queen's birthday banquet was held in a hurry, there were indeed many people who came to the palace to celebrate her birthday today. Horse-drawn carriages entered the palace one after another, filling up the spacious horse parking lot.
The palace maid led the way and took the female relatives to the imperial garden.
In the imperial garden, all kinds of rare flowers were in full bloom, and the palace maid led Chen Tang and the second wife to see the queen.
In the magnificent pavilion, Empress Xu was sitting there, with Concubine Ye and Concubine Zhao sitting on her left and right respectively. Empress Xu had a faint smile on her face, but Concubine Ye was all smiles. Those who didn't know would have thought that it was Concubine Ye who was celebrating her birthday today.
It's no wonder that Empress Xu was unhappy. It was a rare occasion for the Emperor to hold a birthday banquet for her, but it was held so hastily. What's even more infuriating was that it was only proposed by Concubine Ye. This was a great shame and humiliation for her, the queen who was the mother of the country.
Empress Xu declined, but the Queen Mother felt that she could be given a grand celebration, so she did not dare to disobey her and could only accept it.
The face that the Changping Marquis' Mansion had lost before was recovered by Concubine Ye by manipulating the birthday banquet of her, the Empress Dowager. Although she was the Empress, even whether the birthday banquet should be big or small was up to Concubine Ye. No other Empress could behave so cowardly.
The noble ladies who came to celebrate the birthday today, besides flattering her, all flattered Concubine Ye. Maybe they were afraid that she would be unhappy, so they also brought Concubine Zhao along to appear less deliberate in currying favor with Concubine Ye.
Queen Xu knew clearly in her heart that if there was anyone who came to congratulate her sincerely today, it was probably Miss Shen Er, who had been troubled by Concubine Ye.
Previously, when Chen Xian developed a rash at the palace banquet, Empress Xu went to question Chen Tang, and Chen Tang's performance was quite pleasing to Empress Xu. Today, with everyone's support, Empress Xu liked Chen Tang even more.
Chen Tang stepped forward and bowed to Queen Xu, "I wish your Majesty a life as long as the Southern Mountains and a life as blessed as the Eastern Sea."
Empress Xu smiled and said, "Quickly, don't be polite. This spring, Miss Shen's maternal grandfather, the Jiang family, has two Jinshi candidates. This is really good."
Chen Tang was about to thank the Queen for praising the Jiang family, but Concubine Ye smiled and said, "The two young masters of the Jiang family are good, but it's a pity that the Jiang family neglected the only son of Pingyuan Hou and has not been found for more than ten years."
The Jiang family is of good character, but their positions in the court are mediocre. They originally had the support of the Pingyuan Marquis Mansion, but ended up almost becoming enemies with their in-laws. Not to mention that they had two Jinshi in the same family, even if they had two top-class scholars, they would not be able to go far in the court without a backer. What is there to be congratulated about?
Empress Xu only praised the Jiang family, but Concubine Ye poured cold water on her. Due to her status, Chen Tang couldn't fight back. But Chen Tang couldn't, but Empress Xu could. She smiled and said, "Although Marquis Pingyuan has no sons, he has many nephews. The Marquis Pingyuan's mansion is not short of heirs. On the contrary, if he is not well taken care of, the whole family will be extinct."
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